The opening week at the Northumbrian Water Reservoirs saw anglers often shivering in the cold blustery conditions – but the sport on offer was red hot.

After a 20,000 pre-season stocking of quality trout, rods were bending and reels were screaming especially at Derwent, Fontburn, Grassholme and Hury Reservoirs.

Not only were lots of fish caught, some excellent specimens came to the net, getting the season off to a real flyer.

Richard Abbott from Shotley Bridge landed a superb 9lb 8oz Derwent rainbow in the Bay of Plenty caught on a Black Tadpole.

He finished with eight trout for 28lb with many more returned. Anglers fishing Derwent averaged 4.2 trout per visit.

Fly fishing hotspots the Bay of Plenty and Cronkley were said to be absolutely lifting with fish.

Over at Fontburn Reservoir near Rothbury anglers averaged four trout per visit, including a cracking fish of 9lb. Grassholme Reservoir in Teesdale averaged a superb 5.4 fish per visit, including the largest rainbow caught in the first week at 10lb 5oz.

Neighbouring Hury Reservoir averaged a magnificent seven fish per rod visit with anglers doing well with small traditional flies. Anglers commented on the quality of fish caught, and in many cases most fish were over 2lb, with lots more over 3lb.

A combination of top anglers coupled with perfect conditions produced a total bonanza for an entourage of North East fly fishers.

Seven rods caught more than 200 trout between them at the weekend at Bellflask TroutFishery.

A Stanger, G Hughes and J Kay, all from Stanley, had 30, 27 and 29 trout respectively.

Glen Appleby and Peter Appleby had 38 and 43 trout between them, while D Ambler and V Ambler had 28 and 13. D Ambler took the fish of the week at 15lb.